Top News:
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Amid divorce, Dodgers owner fires wife as CEO … Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has fired his wife Jamie as CEO of the team in what promises to be bitter fight over the storied baseball team, SI.com has learned. — The McCourts are going through a divorce, and the sides are battling over the team.
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Matthew Leach / MLB.com:
Dodgers' nucleus will be back in 2010 — Starting rotation likely to be fortified around young stars — PHILADELPHIA — Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti felt little consolation Wednesday night following his team's defeat in the National League Championship Series …
Discussion:
ESPN
T.J. Simers / Los Angeles Times:Squandering everything, just to end up the same as in '08
Discussion:
USA Today
Associated Press:
Missed calls prompt ump switch for World Series … NEW YORK (AP) — Stung by a rash of blown calls in the playoffs, Major League Baseball is breaking tradition and sticking with only experienced umpires for the World Series. — Longtime crew chiefs Joe West, Dana DeMuth and Gerry Davis …
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Sam Borden / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
ALCS Game 5: Yankees at Angels — YANKEES — Pitching: RHP A.J. Burnett (0-0, 2.19 ERA in postseason) — ANGELS — Pitching: RHP John Lackey (1-1, 1.38 ERA in postseason) — WEATHER: More of the same - clear skies, temps in the 60s and 70s and plenty of sun. Check out the full forecast here.
George Vecsey / New York Times:
Good Decisions Have the Yankees in Control — Money talks. Otherwise, why were the Yankees, with baseball's highest payroll of some $206 million, holding such a commanding lead over the Angels, with their payroll of a mere $116 million? — The doomsday scenario is reasserting itself …
Discussion:
ESPN
Bob Klapisch / NorthJersey.com:
Former ump says go to video — ANAHEIM, Calif. - Don Denkinger is living a quiet, peaceful retirement these days, playing golf in the Arizona sun. But just like any former major league umpire, he still follows the game. And as one, in particular, whose career was defined by a bad call …
Discussion:
Circling The Bases
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Buster Olney / ESPN:
Replay for the World Series could work — Don Denkinger, an umpire who had one of the most famous blown calls in history, tells Bob Klapisch: It's time to go to replay. — Here's the thing: Eventually, expanded use of replay is going to happen. It's as inevitable as a Democrat or Republican winning the next presidential election.
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Howard's end: Slugger NLCS MVP — Two homers, eight RBIs help Phils reach World Series — PHILADELPHIA — For the first time in nine playoff games, Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard did not to get a hit or an RBI on Wednesday night. — He did pick up another trophy, though.
Discussion:
Circling The Bases
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Steve Pagliuca / WEEI Online Audio and Video Archive:
AUDIO & VIDEO ON DEMAND — WEEI » Audio & Video On Demand » Theo Epstein, Red Sox GM — THEO EPSTEIN, RED SOX GM — PODCAST — Get Adobe Flash Player to see this content. — Theo joins D&C to talk JD Drew, Jason Bay and the post season
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Rob Bradford / Full Count:
Theo speaks on offseason, Drew, and philosophies — Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein joined the Dennis & Callahan Show Thursday morning and touched on his team's approach to the offseason, the value of J.D. Drew, the future of Daniel Bard as a closer. and some of the organization's philosophies.
David O'Brien / Atlanta Braves with David O'Brien:
Wren's plan for Braves: Get better — As we begin typing, the Phillies are two outs from returning to the World Series, this time for a likely Amtrak series against the New York Yankees, who with a win against the Angels on Thursday can wrap up their first AL pennant since 2003 …
Discussion:
Bottom9 Baseball
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Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:Braves Rumors: Soriano, Gonzalez, Hudson
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Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jose De Jesus Ortiz / Houston Chronicle:
Astros meet with Acta, Mills for second interview — The Astros began their second round of interviews with former Nationals manager Manny Acta and Boston Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills, both called back Wednesday from the initial list of 10. — Owner Drayton McLane would only concede …
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Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Strasburg takes loss in second AFL start — Right-hander allows seven hits, including three homers — PEORIA, Ariz. — It was a learning experience for the Nationals' Stephen Strasburg on Thursday at Peoria Stadium. In his second Arizona Fall League start for the Phoenix Desert Dogs …
Discussion:
Beyond the Box Score
Newsday:
Mets now likely to meet with Chapman, agent — The Mets now expect to meet with Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman and his agent later this week after initially saying they had no plans to do so, according to a person familiar with the situation. Chapman already is in New York …
ESPN:
Chat with Keith Law — Welcome to SportsNation! On Thursday, MLB Insider Keith Law will be here to take your questions on anything baseball related. — Law is the senior baseball analyst for Scouts Inc. Before joining ESPN, Law served as special assistant to the general manager …
